Prof. Bernhard Dobberstein Protein targeting

Proteins destined for export out of the cell or insertion into the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) are synthesized with an N-terminal signal sequence. After insertion the signal sequence is cleaved off by signal peptidase (SPase) and in some cases the resulting signal peptides have further functions as membrane-integrated peptides, as peptides released from the membrane or as signal peptide fragments liberated from the membrane after processing by signal peptide peptidase (SPP). Insertion of proteins into the membrane of the ER is mediated by chaperones and targeting factors. We have identified a novel targeting factor, Asna-1/TRC40, for the insertion of tail-anchored (TA) proteins. Membrane insertion can occur post-translationally, depends on the presence of ATP and a receptor in the ER membrane. We want to characterize molecular mechanisms by which Asna-1 mediates membrane insertion of TA proteins.

Detailed information on the project can be found at
www.zmbh.uni-heidelberg.de/Dobberstein/default.shtml